Maine
How Do You Turn a Maine Barn into a Fireside Pickleball Court?
Boston Home
If you’re this Mount Desert Island homeowner, you hire a team to make a really great room.
Architect: Lake Flato. Builder: Bloom Building & Construction. Interior Designer: Stephanie Rae Interiors / Photo by Sean Litchfield
The Challenge
The homeowner, who’d spent summers on Mount Desert Island for decades, dreamed of a more spacious retreat for his large family. A new barn on a 4-acre property straddling the rocky coast offered just the place he’d envisioned for his clan to gather and share adventures. But to accomplish that, the space needed a beautiful but functional great room equally suited for lobster dinners, indoor pickleball matches, and fireside evenings.
The Solution
The project team—architects from Lake Flato, builder Chris Mahaney, and his wife, interior designer Stephanie Mahaney—conceived the space as a soaring yet welcoming hub. A cathedral ceiling of single-plank fir with exposed beams plays against the raw concrete floor, balancing warmth and durability. At its center, a 34-foot-tall granite fireplace commands attention—a sculptural composition of boulders, none smaller than 2 square feet, surrounding a single 14-foot-long reclaimed granite hearth. A 15-person dining table rolls aside (or through 12-foot-tall steel doors to the patio) to make way for the indoor pickleball court, while teak sofas invite fireside relaxation. The result is a space that feels both enduring and exuberant: a Maine barn that serves as a year-round family playground.
PORTLAND — Perhaps the June Swoon is over for the Portland Hearts of Pine.
A flurry of second-half activity Wednesday night resulted in four goals and a much-needed 5-1 USL League One victory against the Richmond Kickers that had fans buzzing with feel-good frenzy at Fitzpatrick Stadium.
Ollie Wright scored the go-ahead goal on a header off a great cross from Jaden Jones-Reilly in the 57th minute. In short order, Konstantinos Georgallides and Aboubacar Camara each added a goal, and then Camara got a second late in extra time.
Diego Gonzalez, playing his third game with Portland, added friskiness to the midfield and opened the scoring with a header in the first half. He also assisted on Camara’s first goal with a slick through pass.
Portland had lost four straight games, including three in a row in USL1. The Hearts are now 4-5-5 in league play and moved from 13th to 10th in the 17-team league, just three points out of the eight-team playoff picture.
It was a dramatic reversal from Portland’s most recent game, a 5-1 loss at Westchester SC on Friday that was shown live back in Portland at an open-air setting in Monument Square.
PREVIOUSLY IN JUNE
When the month of May ended with a gritty home win against Spokane, Portland was 3-2-4 in league play and overcoming injuries.
June has not been as kind. Portland entered Wednesday’s game on a four-game losing streak. Digging into the numbers, the skid looked even worse.
It was the first time the Hearts had lost four straight games in their brief year-and-a-half history. They were outscored 15-5 in that stretch, and 15-3 starting with the two extra-time goals they allowed in a 3-2 loss at Corpus Christi.
Portland had also lost three straight against USL League One games for the first time.
Two of the four losses were ugly 5-1 affairs. Portland didn’t lose by more than three goals and had just four losses by two or more goals in 2025.
RETURNS AND NOTES
Portland was glad to have Mikey Lopez back on the game-day roster. Lopez, who had bene out more than month because of an injury, entered as a 75th-minute sub with Portland leading 4-1. … Sean Vinberg, one of Portland’s primary starting center backs in 2025, became the second former Hearts player to return to Fitzpatrick, wearing the captain’s band for Richmond. Vinberg was released at the end of the 2025 season. He made 33 starts for Portland, second most on the team. … Maine Gatorade High School Soccer Players of the Year Finn Coburn (Scarborough) and Noelle Mallory (Cape Elizabeth) handled the honorary coin toss before the match.
A meal that would normally cost more than $30 is available for less than $12 at Governor’s Restaurants on Wednesday.
Governor’s is celebrating its 67th anniversary by offering its lobster roll for $11.67.
The annual promotion, known as Lobster Roll Day, begins when restaurants open at 8 a.m. and continues until supplies run out.
Governor’s operates six locations across Maine in Old Town, Bangor, Ellsworth, Waterville, Lewiston and Presque Isle.
Customers should be aware that several locations are offering cash-only drive-thru service for the event.
Join Girl Scouts of Maine for a sweet summer stop you won’t want to miss!
We’re popping up at local ice cream shops around Maine for our Ice Cream Socials—fun, casual events where families can enjoy a free treat and learn more about Girl Scouts.
Here’s what to expect:
🍦 One FREE kid-sized cone per family when you stop by and connect with us
🌱 Hands-on activity for kids (like a planting activity or fidget spinner craft)
💬 A chance to chat with our team and learn how Girl Scouts builds confidence, friendships, and unforgettable experiences
Whether you’re curious about joining, looking for activities for your child, or just want to enjoy a sweet treat, we’d love to meet you!
✨ Open to all families—no registration required. Just stop by, say hello, and enjoy some ice cream with us.
The Saco Scoop
05:30 PM – 07:30 PM on Tue, 14 Jul 2026
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